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Friday, Aug. 25 7:35pm ET
Hairston drives in career-best 4 runs | |||||
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GAME LOG
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Jerry Hairston's most productive night at the plate enabled him to atone for a costly mental lapse in the field. Hairston homered and drove in a career-high four runs as the Baltimore Orioles rallied to beat Tampa Bay 4-3 Friday night, foiling the Devil Rays' bid to escape last place for the first time since April. Hairston hit a two-run homer in the sixth to tie the game. Tampa Bay then pushed across the go-ahead run in the seventh, thanks in part to a gaffe by Hairston at second base. With runners at first and third and no outs, Tampa Bay's Gerald Williams hit a popup that fell only a few yards behind the infield. "I messed up," Hairston said. "I thought I heard the shortstop call for the ball. My fault. It's unacceptable." Hairston rebounded by hitting a two-out, two-run single in the bottom half to put Baltimore ahead to stay. "That's typical of young players. They'll make mistakes, but they do plenty of good things, too," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. Williams was given a hit on Hairston's play. Baltimore, which had at least one error in a franchise-record 16 straight games, finally ended the dubious streak. "The streak has been broken. You guys can write about something else now," Hargrove said. Williams had two hits and an RBI for the Devil Rays, who would have passed Baltimore in the AL East with a victory. Tampa Bay has been stuck in the cellar since April 16. Tampa Bay starter Albie Lopez gave up two runs, five hits and a career-high seven walks before leaving with a right hamstring cramp after taking his warmup tosses in the seventh. "I was struggling with my off-speed stuff, my ball was just moving all over the place," Lopez said. Billy Taylor (1-3) got the first two outs before Jeff Conine singled. After two walks loaded the bases, Hairston sent an opposite-field bloop to right. "It's hard to explain. I got the first two outs, the ball felt good coming out of my hand," Taylor said. "Then I started missing, and missing bad. I walked a right-hander (Brook Fordyce), which I should never do." B.J. Ryan (2-3) got two outs in the seventh after replacing Pat Rapp, who left with the bases loaded. Mike Trombley worked the eighth and rookie Ryan Kohlmeier struck out John Flaherty with the bases loaded to pick up his sixth save in six chances. Rapp, pitching for the first time since his father died Sunday, allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. Despite a fine effort, he remained winless since July 21. "I tried to block out what's been going on," Rapp said. Baltimore wasted several scoring chances until the sixth, when Conine hit a leadoff double and Hairston hit a two-out drive that barely cleared the glove of a leaping Steve Cox at the left-field wall. "It was a fastball. It was supposed to be over the outside corner, but it ran back over the middle of the plate," Lopez said. "He did what he was supposed to do with it." Tampa Bay went up 2-0 in the first. Williams hit a leadoff single and scored on a double by Greg Vaughn, who came home when Fred McGriff doubled on a 3-0 pitch. Baltimore stranded a runner in scoring position in each of the first five innings, failing to take advantage of two singles, two doubles and five walks. Albert Belle stranded four, making the final out in three innings. Game notesCal Ripken, on the disabled list since June 28, will return on Sept. 1, Hargrove said after the game. ... Belle went 0-for-5 and stranded five overall on his 34th birthday. He's 5-for-37 over his last nine games. ... McGriff has seven RBIs in his last four games and 92 for the season. ... Baltimore was 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts against Devil Rays catcher Flaherty. ... Conine got three hits and has seven in his last 10 at-bats. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Tampa Bay Clubhouse Baltimore Clubhouse RECAPS Baltimore 4 Tampa Bay 3
Los Angeles 3
San Francisco 16
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